A Modern Myth
by Kyra Spring
Summary: "The world around them was crumbling, and they were going to fall with it. They knew that. But there was still a promise for a next life". RoChu. Slightly inspired by the song A Modern Myth, by 30 Seconds to Mars.


Everyone knew that was the end of the world. There wasn't other way to call it.

Yao thought about that moment many times. How it would be, when it would happen. He imagined they would be stupid enough to destroy one another in some final World War. Yes, they would probably do it. They have tried it too many times along history, didn't they?

But no. They are going to meet their end in other way. A punishment from heavens, probably. Some would call that the Apocalypse, but he didn't believe in a God to destroy its own creation. That was only the Earth itself dying, like any other living creature. And they are going to die with it.

The reports claimed that an enormous wave would reach his shores in a matter of minutes. He would never be able to evacuate all his towns, and even if he could, the earthquakes and storms were happening everywhere, without any kind of rational explanation. It was just a matter of time. Weeks, maybe months, but soon everyone would disappear too.

It seemed just fair to disappear with his people, at least.

He looked at the sea. Big waves hit the shore, mercilessly. The wind was cold, too cold. Would it hurt when the biggest one crashed him? Would it be quick? Could he have, at least, the gift of dying in a painless way? It was a kind of anti-climax, to end like that.

After so many things… after centuries and centuries of history. Struggles, and discoverings, moments of pain and joy… Was he ready to leave it all behind?

"Don't be silly, Yao.", he smiled to himself. "It doesn't matter if you're ready or not."

He didn't expect anyone to be there. Who would be crazy enough to run to the storm, anyway? And he would never expect to hear steps behind him. Someone was running in his direction. He turned around to see.

_Ivan._

Why was he there? Why wasn't he with his own people? He couldn't say anything, but in the next moment, Ivan was pulling his hand.

"We must find a safe place, Yao!", he said, the panic in his voice. "Why are you still here? We have only a few minutes before the impact!"

"Yiwan, no!", he pulled his hand off. "I'm not going anywhere. What I can't understand is why the hell you are here, instead of taking care of your own country!"

He looked at Ivan's face. He seemed devastated. Yao knew that there were a lot of storms and earthquakes happening in Russia, too. He was pale, and seemed completely exhausted.

And then, he understood the look in his face.

He knew there wasn't any hope, too.

"Please… go", he said, in a low voice, avoiding Ivan's eyes. "There must be somewhere for you to hide. But I must stay here. Go home. Your people needs you, maybe you can save them."

"I can't go back" He muttered. "I've done everything I could. But I know, and you know, it's not gonna help at all. We're just pretending we can save them, when we can't."

"If you know, why are you here?" He turned to Ivan, suddenly angry. "Why? You could at least have the heart to die by your people's side, as a nation should do!"

For a moment, Ivan opened his mouth, like he was going to say something. And then, he smiled, breaking Yao's defenses in only one strike.

"I don't think it matters anymore. We're not different from them. If you could choose, wouldn't you prefer to leave by the side of someone important to you?"

He couldn't answer that question, anyway.

Looking at the sea, he noticed the waves getting bigger and bigger. It started raining too. THey didn't have much time left.

"Such a pathetic way to end, isn't it?", he gave a bitter laugh. "We thought we could destroy each other, and then Mother Nature comes and put us in our places. It's ironic."

"I think it's the natural order of things." Ivan sounded calm, like he already accepted that. "But I must say I never thought I would see the end of the world. If you think about it, it's a very solemn moment."

"…you think so?", Yao smiled, almost against his will. "That's unexpected."

"Of course. The other before us couldn't witness it. We'll see the world being changed in a way no one else saw."

Yao didn't say anything for a moment, as he thought about Ivan's words. He truly had a point there. But, still… was it so easy for him to accept that?

No. It wasn't. And he would find that out in the next moment.

"Yao, we must leave." His voice changed. "Come with me, we must hide."

"I already told you I'm not going anywhere. It's pointless."

"No, it's not!"

"What's the matter now? You seemed to accept it very well a few seconds ago!"

"You would never understand!"

"Then why don't you try to explain to me?"

When he noticed, he was yelling at Ivan. Damn. The world falling apart and he was yelling at the other nation for a stupid reason. How pathetic. He looked away, feeling ashamed of his own behavior, but the words Ivan said after made him look at the Russian, in complete shock.

"I don't want to see you dying, that's why!"

"You care about _me_? Damn you, Braginsky, where are your priorities?"

"I just don't want to keep on an useless fight anymore!", Ivan started yelling too, with despair in his voice. "I'm here for the same reason as you, the difference is that I'm not selfish enough to ignore everyone around me!"

Before he could say anything, though, Ivan looked at the sea. It was drawing back. The wave was coming. He looked at the same direction, too, but Ivan just pulled him by the arm and started running again.

That was useless. The nearest safe place was at least three miles away. But still, Ivan was running. There was a belvedere in a hill. Too fragile, without walls, only a wooden roof. Ivan didn't think about it, and kept running, still pulling Yao by the hand.

…why were they still running?

Why were they still fighting and clinging over those final moment?

They finally reached the belvedere. Such a terrible, yet beautiful spectacle could be seen in that point. The fury of the sea and the wind were terrifying. Yao felt smaller than ever. Even he, the wisest of the nations, had to bow before it. By instinct, he held on Ivan, hiding his face in his chest.

He was scared. Terrified. He didn't want things to end yet. Not… now.

And, judging by the way Ivan held him, he felt the same too.

"Tell me everything is going to be fine", he whispered. "Please. Lie to me. I just want to hear someone telling me it's gonna be fine…"

Ivan stood in silence for a moment, before giving an answer:

"It's alright. I'm here. I'll protect you." That wasn't the answer he was expecting. "I'll protect you…"

"Idiot", he muttered, with a sad smile. "There's a limit about the way you'd lie to me."

"Well, you didn't say anything to me before, silly.", Ivan laughed too. "And… it's not a lie. I will protect you. In this life and in the next."

"A next life…? Do you believe in it?"

"Right now I'm trying too hard to believe in it."

"And…", Yao looked at the shore again. The wave was forming, distant, but getting bigger and bigger at each second. "Do you think we deserve it?"

"I think so". His voice lowered. "I mean… after everything, it would be just fair."

_"After everything"._ Those words resonated in Yao's mind. Everything. Every action, decision, choice, disillusion. And they all cuminated in that specific moment. Was it worthy enough?

As a nation, the answer was obvious. His history and his people spoke for themselves. But now, he wasn't a nation anymore. In those few last moments, he could call himself human.

And for that human… was it worthy?

In that moment, he noticed he wasn't afraid anymore. And Ivan wasn't too.

He looked at the Russian's eyes for a moment, and then to the wave, and back to his eyes. And he noticed he would never be able to face it alone. Ivan smiled - the same smile of always, gentle but with something hard to describe, something deeper.

"I'm glad you're here", he murmured. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it", Ivan answered. "You're important to me, I already told you."

"Are you afraid?"

"Not anymore. You're here with me. It means you're going to protect me too."

"I will. In this life and in the next."

They could already her the sound of the wave coming closer and closer. But they wouldn't look at it. They were lost in each other's eyes, their bodies still entwined in a last and desperate hug. The sound was getting louder and louder, and they only closed their eyes, hiding their faces in each other's shoulders.

And, when the wave crashed, there were no pain. It truly was a blessing.

Their bodies would never be found, even if someone tried to look for them. There wouldn't be many people to go out and look for them, anyway. But, as nations, they wouldn't leave a body behind. They simply disappeared in the wave, becoming a part of it, a part of their world.

A part that would live on, somehow. A part that would allow the world to be born again, after the end.

They had a promise to keep.

And a next life to fulfill it.


End file.
